Ice Cream Deductions
by thefaultoflegend
Summary: As little boys, Sherlock and Mycroft get bored while at the park eating ice cream, so Mycroft invents a little game for them to play. It turns out, they'll be playing it for the rest of their lives.


This is the first one-shot of a one-a-day challenge that I am giving myself. So, if you like it, be sure to follow me to get more stories. I'll be doing mostly Sherlock, Doctor Who, and whatever other prompts my sister gives me. This one-shot is for her. She's the one who always reads my stories, no matter how much they suck. So, thank you. Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock. Thanks for reading! –thefaultoflegend

"But Mother," whined a small boy with curly hair sticking out all over his head. He sat on a park bench, swinging his legs back and forth, and put his hands up to his forehead. "I don't want ice cream. I'm trying to think and I can't eat when I think. My stomach gets all rumbly and my mind won't work," continued the boy as his mother thrust an ice cream cone at him. He reluctantly grabbed the cone and took a small bite, deciding that he could quit thinking for a while to enjoy the treat.

"Quit kicking, Sherlock," came a cry from the other boy who was kneeling at his brother's feet and attempting to tie his shoe. The older child finished the job and stood up, taking his bowl of ice cream and eating it slowly next to Sherlock. The Holmes children's parents decided to take them out for a day of fun and ice cream. But Sherlock and Mycroft were far from normal when it came to children. They found the day boring and wished to return home to work on puzzles and read mystery books. Their parents however, thought the boys could use some sun. When the boys were much older, they would look back on the day with as much fondness as they could muster without becoming too sentimental. It was the day when a very big part of their lives started.

"I'm so bored," complained Sherlock as he slurped at his ice cream while continuing to kick his feet.

"I have an idea. Let's tell stories about everyone who passes," replied Mycroft, smiling at his brother and trying to keep him occupied. He knew how anxious his younger brother could get after getting bored.

"Okay," said Sherlock, beaming back at his older brother. They were situated right next to the ice cream vendor, who was handing out many flavors to passersby. A man walked by wearing a brown hat and loose fitting trousers. He was clearly older and he was enjoying a cup of pralines and cream ice cream. Mycroft pointed out the man.

"There," he said, taking a break from his own cup. "That man is a grandfather. He loves his family but he's also very quiet and doesn't let a whole lot of emotion show, but that isn't a bad thing. He's been married for a long time but recently his wife died and he's very lonely now."

"How do you know that?" asked Sherlock, an inquisitive look on his face.

"Well, the knees on his pants are worn through which could mean that he's a gardener but they're not very dirty so they're worn because he gets on the floor to play with his grandchildren. He's keeping his head down and avoiding eye contact with people, which shows he's shy. He's also playing with his wedding band. It's worn and looks old so he's been married for a long time. He wouldn't be playing with it so much after all those years unless something happened to his marriage recently. And at his age, it would be that his wife died. And he's eating pralines and cream. I read a book once about different flavors that people pick. It means he doesn't like the spotlight but he loves people easily," said Mycroft with a sly smile.

"Wow. That was really cool," said Sherlock now, who had completely abandoned his ice cream and threw it to a group of birds nearby. "Let me try." Just then a woman walked by and the young Sherlock began to look at and observe her. The deductions that his brother just made astounded him and he hoped that he could one day do the same.

"Okay," he said, putting his hands together and putting them against his mouth for a second before starting to talk again. "That woman there is wearing a red dress which means she's confident. She has her head up and she's talking to someone on her phone loudly. She has a lot of energy. This also shows because she's wearing a pair of high heels and she's clearly been walking in them all day because her feet are kind of red. But she isn't walking funny."

"Pretty good," said Mycroft giving a smirk at his little brother. "Anything else?"

"Shut up, Mycroft. I wasn't finished," snapped the younger Holmes, glaring at his brother. "She had a fiancée but she broke it off. She has a tan line where her ring used to be and she's not upset at all, showing that she was the one who kicked him out. And she's eating chocolate ice cream which means she's dramatic and lively."

The two boys looked at each other and started giggling, loving the new game that they thought they invented. They did this for several more minutes as their parents looked at them with awe, wondering how their two little boys got so smart. After a while, it was Sherlock's turn again. He picked out a little girl with brown hair that was braided to the side. She was wearing a frumpy jumper and was licking strawberry ice cream.

"She's too quiet and gives in too easily," said Mycroft rolling his eyes as Sherlock pointed her out. Sherlock just shrugged his shoulders and gave a small smile to the girl as she walked past and giggled.

"I don't know. I kind of like her," replied Sherlock.

"For the millionth time, thinking like that only makes a person weaker. It's all chemical stuff. Just stick to regular thinking," said Mycroft sternly. Sherlock nodded and stayed quiet for a few minutes before turning to Mycroft.

"Mint chocolate chip," he said while pointing to Mycroft's cup. "You like to argue. But you're careful."

"Rainbow sherbet," replied Mycroft while eyeing his brothers forgotten ice cream cone. "You're negative and analytic." Sherlock just nodded and started kicking his legs again. "But you're okay," said Mycroft after a little bit.

"Yeah, you too," said the youngest Holmes as he smiled at his brother and their game of deduction continued.


End file.
